PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester baseball team is headed to its third straight Liberty league title game after defeating Clarkson University 13-8 in the conference semifinals on Wednesday evening at Towers Field.
UR's victory pushes the Yellowjackets in the finals on Saturday against Union College in the 4-team, single-elimination bracket. Game time for the title contest is still to be determined.
Rochester pushes its record to 23-8 on the season, while Clarkson falls to 14-16-1 with the loss.
The Yellowjacket offense kept its terrific season going, pounding out 17 hits and scoring in the first six innings of the game. Rochester built an eight run lead after four innings, Clarkson answered with a big six-run fifth inning, but Rochester's offense was able to hold the visiting Golden Knights at bay enough over the final four innings to earn the win.
Rochester struck for two runs in the bottom of the first inning, with John Moses and Josh Leadem each delivering RBI hits.
After UR's starting pitcher Jon Turk struck out the side in the second, the lead pushed to three after Joseph Rende laced a single through the right side of the infield to score Aaron Whitley.
Clarkson got back-to-back singles to lead off the third, but Turk was able to wiggle out of trouble, getting a fly out and two strikeouts to end the threat.
In the bottom of the inning, the Yellowjackets batted around and scored four runs, boosting the lead to 6-0. Brian McKinsey drew a bases loaded walk to score a run, Jackson Reed had an RBI groundout and Whitley singled in a run. The fourth run came when McKinsey stole home after Whitley was picked off first, got in a rundown, but safely scampered back to first base.
The Golden Knights big inning was the fifth. After a strikeout to start the inning, Turk yielded two singles before designated Colby Brouillette clobbered a 3-run shot to right field to put Clarkson on the board.
Brouillette's home run chased the starter Turk from the game. The senior went 4.1 innings, allowed nine hits and three runs while striking out six. Rochester has won all seven of Turk's starts this season.
UR's next pitcher surrendered a triple, error and a walk and was removed without recording an out, while Clarkson scored its fourth run of the inning.
The Golden Knights big inning continued thanks to another UR error allowing a run to score and Jonathan Irons singled to left to complete the sixth-run frame.
UR's answered right back in the bottom of the inning though, as Harper Sy recorded a sacrifice fly and Leadem and Jacob Matzat each had RBI singles.
Clarkson pushed two more runs across in the sixth, but UR reclaimed the 5-run advantage after a Moses 2-run single, which would complete the scoring.
Thomas Karpishin (3-1) pitched terrific over the final three innings on the mound for Rochester and ended up earning the victory, his third of the season. The sophomore right-hander ended up going the final 4.2 innings and allowed three hits, two runs and two walks while striking out four.
Clarkson's Kyle Locklear (4-2) started the game and took the loss for the Golden Knights. He gave up seven runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two.
At the plate, Whitley paced UR and finished 4-for-6, his third game this season with four or more hits. He added two doubles, two runs, an RBI and two stolen bases.
Rende was 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI while Moses was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI.
Leadem also had a solid day at the plate, going 3-for4 with a double, two RBI and two stolen bases. Sy also swiped two bags and was 2-for-3 with a two runs.
Clarkson's Brouillette did most of the damage for the visitors, going 3-for-5 and finishing a double shy of the cycle. He drove in four and scored twice. Kent Wilson and Michael Tito each recorded two 2-for-5 games.